


A Boy Meets A Girl

by DutchessofHysteria



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-27 21:53:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30129360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DutchessofHysteria/pseuds/DutchessofHysteria
Summary: "I thought I’d gotten her out of my system. I tried for years to bury her in the back of my mind..." In which Zeke Yeager recalls a pale face and wide blue eyes from his boyhood, and the worst thing he could have ever done was let her go.
Kudos: 2





	A Boy Meets A Girl

**A/N:** Just a snippet of a fiction I set while ago, probably won't continue it and I do apologize for it being inconsistent as well as the story being short. 

**_Copyright @ 2021 DutchessofHysteria._ **

**_All rights reserved._ **

* * *

**WHACK!!**

A not so glorious sound rang his young ears. The boy learned a new tune today, what the sound of a fist colliding with a nose felt like. He just never thought he’d be on the receiving end. Good thing he had dodged the blow in time, but by the skin of his teeth. His nose smarted, no doubt bruised and on the verge of bleeding. His attacker had not held back. Cupping his hands over his injury, Zeke peered through his bangs, fighting back tears. He was nearly crouched in front of a girl who only glared at him with cold glacier eyes. Her hands stayed by her side, one free hand went to tuck a strand of stray hair behind her ear. Zeke didn’t want to cry about how much it hurt that she damaged his face, what kept him from doing so were her eyes. They almost seemed too big for her face. Her optics were blue, yet were so vacant and penetrating he couldn’t help but close his mouth, then open it, once again sealing his lips. He couldn’t help but back away from her a little. Straightening his spine, Zeke was a little appalled a girl whacked him. Despite her petite frame even, his new found enemy was indeed intimidating. Would she punch him again? Zeke hadn’t meant to bump into the mysterious girl. An innocent game of baseball was all to occupy his time. 

Poor boy had been bored nearly out of his skull it was driving him mad. He didn’t have a lot of kids to play with, if any at all. It often pained Zeke that he didn’t have a companion. Someone his age to just hang out with rather than study, study, study. As he had been playing baseball by himself, the ball had managed to slip past him, nearly flying over a few homes. Thus his unfortunate run in with the glaring child. Her pale face was framed with blonde hair which was paler in comparison to his. She was dusting off pretend dust from her outfit, her eyes finally averted from him. 

“This yours?” She asked in monotone, startling Zeke back into reality. In her small hand was his ball. She extended her arm out to him, his own hand grabbing the sphere. She leaned in closer towards him after he clutched the ball to his chest. Zeke didn’t so much as back away, more like he nearly tripped over his two feet. What was wrong with him? “Y-yeah..” He managed to find his voice, swallowing. Gain some composure. She’s younger and you’re awkward. Smooth. 

The two children just casually observed the other, neither one making a move, except breathing. Zeke’s grey hues clashed with the girl’s blue ones, her wide eyes scanning him. Thump. Thump. Thump. Zeke’s thundering heart was the only thing keeping the silence from deafening. Until tiny hands reached for his face. Not what he was expecting. Fingers were soft as they splayed on his face, particularly his nose. Even the lightest of her touches made him wince. Yet at the same time she seemed to be soothing him. Comfort. “Hey, I’m sorry I decked you. You came out of nowhere.” As sincere as the apology came out, her voice was still flat. 

“No sweat. It’s my fault. I should have watched where I was going.” 

She shrugged coolly. 

“Accidents happen.” 

_She hasn’t stopped touching my face..._ It felt nice. Not that he’d blurt that out loud. His face would be even a darker shade than it is. God help him his face was warm and she was watching him like a hawk. Mysterious Girl lightly pinched his nose. “Ouch,” Zeke hissed. “That’s gonna be a bruise, but at least I didn’t break your noise. It’ll heal before you know it.” “Good, but how am I gonna explain to my parents my battle scar?” Ah, yes. A little light humor. It didn’t gouge a reaction out of her, but for a flicker of a second Zeke thought she smiled. 

“Tell them you got in a fight and won. Or you were got clumsy. Whichever ones makes you sound cooler.” Zeke snorted. “I couldn’t fit into the cool category, not even in a freezer unit.” As corny as that sounded Mysterious Girl mustered a quiet laugh. Maybe he was winning in something here. “Who are you?” Zeke prodded, Mysterious Girl’s hands left his face and he almost missed the contact. She probably sensed it too, both created some space between them. Zeke cleared his throat. “Olivia. Olivia Leonhart. Tell me what your name is.” Olivia. He’d remember that. When both stood up abruptly, Zeke noted that she was almost short, not up to his chest short but just small, yet she had quite a right hook. Her pale blonde hair was long, a little past her shoulders. 

“I’m Zeke Yeager.” With formalities out of the way the atmosphere wasn’t so awkward. Zeke studied Olivia, frowning. He had never seen her around before. He knew almost every kid his age or a little older. Whether or not by name, just passing faces, he knew for a fact Olivia was not from around here. He didn’t want to invade with rattling questions off the bat that would make her run away. Olivia nodded. “Zeke it is then.” Was she going to leave? Why was he so eager for her to stay? Neither knew the other. What should I say? “Take a picture it’ll last longer.” Olivia retorted. Zeke nearly chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “I don’t mean to look creepy staring.” 

“I guess it’s fine. You look like you wanted to say something to me.” Olivia glimpsed at the baseball in Zeke’s hand, then focused back on his face. Zeke had forgotten about the ball in his hand, flickering his attention to it and Olivia. 

“You play?” 

Olivia shook her head. Zeke tried not to deflate. Okay, at least he tried. “Could you show me? I don’t play a lot of sports.” Was that a tinge of hope in her voice? Would you look at that? His face was splitting in half with the biggest grin. Olivia couldn’t help but roll her eyes, falling in step beside Zeke. He held the ball high in the air, babbling to her. And she was actually listening despite her neutral expression and lack of enthusiasm. This was almost too good to be true. He didn’t have to stay stuffed in his room with books and play idle with his toys. Did Olivia like toys? Olivia caught the ball on the first try firmly. She tossed it back with equal force. “You’re pretty good at this. Keep it up Olivia!” 

“Thanks!” The ball whooshed from boy and girl, each giving respective praises. Zeke was so used to hanging around older people he feared his social skills were sunk below zero. Olivia stood on tiptoe to catch the next throw Zeke aimed for her before the ball zoomed right over her head. “Are you sure you’ve never played a sport?” Zeke inquired, waiting for her to pitch back at him. “Positive. I’ve wanted to...but stuff happens.” 

_Whoosh!_ Zeke’s wrist nearly snapped back with the weight of the stitched ball. One hell of a arm she had. “Can I ask you something? If it’s not too personal.” He let it hang in the air, still gripping his treasured baseball snug in his glove hand. “Go ahead.” He wasn’t going to give it back to her. She raised an eyebrow, patiently waiting with her glove waving. “Do you have any family here?” Okay, maybe that was too personal. He mentally berated himself for that one. Olivia narrowed her eyes. That sent a chill down Zeke's spine. The stare alone dared him to ask her again. 

“Sorry...” he whispered. “Anything else you care to ask?” There it goes. Why did she sound almost emotionally dead? 

_Whoosh!! Whoosh!!_ She was probably an orphan, though not a street rat. Not that he could tell. She was so well taken care of, not emaciated, healthy. Yet in a tinge of her voice there was something she wasn’t ready to tell him. Not that she ever would. In this moment Zeke was beyond ecstatic to have someone his age to talk to. His parents paid him not attention. How he so desperately yearned for anything from them other than his father shoving a book in his hand, dribbling off nonsense about how he was their last hope. It had been forced fed to him since the day he could walk. How the young Yeager craved for just a semblance of normalcy. Zeke had just met Olivia. He couldn’t help but feel they shared something. Wait a minute... 

“Olivia!” 

“Hm?” 

“I gotta show you something.” 

“I’m almost afraid to ask, but I guess it’s fine.” 

Waiting for him to run towards him, he sped off, her small feet trotting after him. “It better not be anything weird Yeager.” Olivia warned, pumping her arms and legs forward to side in on him. “I promise. Just stay with me.” Olivia blinked at that, glancing at the blonde boy. Right. Stay with him. Instinctively Zeke kept Olivia hidden, almost afraid his new found friend would dart away from him. She didn’t like him crowding her, but didn’t objectify. They weren’t being noticed by anyone. They were in the clear so far. Too thrilled, Zeke didn’t mind the almost near exhaustion. Both children halted, hands on their knees, heavy breathing, but eager. Zeke craned his neck to his left. “Over there!” Olivia’s eyes dragged over to a wooden shack covered by branches and vines. 

The door was slightly off its hinges, the was one window. It seemed almost squatty, only able to accommodate small people. How had no one found this? “What is it?” “My hideout.” Zeke puffed out his chest, hands on his hips. “Well, a place I come to every now and then when I want to be by myself.” 

“Color me impressed. Kind of reminds me of where people hide corpses.” Zeke feigned a dying expression. _Is that what she really thinks of me?_ “You’ve managed to keep this place hidden?” 

“For the time being yeah.”

“Fascinating.”

 _I get more reactions out of a log._ What is with this girl? That evidently didn’t stop Olivia from seeking entry. “Are we going to go in or what?” Oh. Right. Zeke went ahead, making sure nothing cut or hit her in the face or chest to go in. When he was here, Zeke was able to shut out everything that made him unhappy. Even if for a little bit. Zeke shut the door slightly behind them, light bright and evident in the small wooden abode. A table sat in the center, a shelf off into the corner, a few toys scattered on the floor; though nothing much else. “I like it,” Olivia admitted. So she doesn’t want to leave. Olivia walked around, touching the table, just taking it all in. She picked up a stuffed toy near her feet, examining the fur animal before settling it on the table. 

“You read?” Zeke blurted. Olivia shrugged. “I supposed I do.” Then, Zeke rummaged in a trunk for something. Rather than a book he presented to her a box of cards. Olivia tilted her head, taking the small box and joining Zeke at the table. The chairs scraped slightly. And in that moment all Zeke knew was that he wanted to keep them both happy, innocent, and pure. Playing cards. Exchanging stories. Just being here. Would any of this change when they grew up? All that mattered was the now. 

“Zeke...” 

“Yes?” 

“Thank you...” Zeke faltered. “Thank you for bringing me out here.” 

“You’re welcome.” he rasped. He didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t want this day to be over. At the same time he didn’t want be desperate. “I don’t want to leave just yet. Can we play a while longer?” Zeke nodded, hiding the mirth in his eyes, Olivia doing the same. 

* * *

So long ago. That was so long ago, but that day was burned into Zeke’s mind as though it had occurred yesterday rather than years ago. He never forgot about Olivia. Not too long after, that had been the last time he saw her. And if it hadn’t ached like shit when Olivia vanished, he wouldn’t have given a damn what happened to her. In those fleeting moments upon their first encounter, Zeke had cared about the first person his entire life. Of all days he had to think of her. _I thought I’d gotten her out of my system. I tried for years to bury her in the back of my mind..._

Look how well that turned out. He never stopped looking for her. He left no stone unturned, even going through dire means just to see her one last time. Zeke sucked on his cigarette, filling his lungs with the sweet sting and tipping his head back to blow out a stream above his head. Such a fucking little monster, that one. Zeke heard incoming footfalls. 

Maybe another onlooker warning him about the hazards of smoking. As if lung cancer was on his list of worries. “Mind if I bum one of those,” called a female voice. Zeke chuckled. “I apologize, this is my last one.” 

“That’s fine. You know I don’t smoke. It’s a nasty habit.” The voice was getting closer. Zeke didn’t turn around to look at her, but that last part made Zeke turn his head finally look at the female form. You know I don’t smoke. “Jesus Christ,” Zeke mumbled. The female form, petite she was; long pale blonde hair, a beautiful fair complexion; and lips that reminded him of bubblegum. Saucer-like eyes that reminded him of a doll. No longer a girl, but a woman. Olivia brushed a stray of hair from her face. _I’m losing it..._ But this was no fantasy. 

“Zeke.” _Ollie._ Zeke tightened his fist, crushing the cigarettes and not closing his eyes through the burn on the inside of his palm. “Olivia.” Olivia approached him, closing the distance between him. She craned her neck to meet his grey eyes, boring into them with the same way she did when they were kids. Zeke didn’t hear anything for a moment, just her. Her scent flooded him, he never stopped looking at her. '

“You...” 

“Me.” 

“Why?” 

“Why not? You gonna make me leave, Zeke?” 

“If I do,” he taunted.

“There will be a misunderstanding between your chest and my fist.” 

And just like that the place dropped down in temperature. She still had that effect on him as adults. Zeke sighed, the sting in his palm forgotten. He’d be a fool to say he had not missed her, he itched to take her into his arms and hold onto her. He clearly believed the smoke had gotten to him, the nicotine conjuring up a visage of Olivia. But she was live in the flesh. No woman on this Earth could give him a glare cold enough to run Medusa’s blood into stone. 

“I believe you’re going my way,” Olivia mused. Zeke gave her a curt smile, shoving a hand in his pocket, he led the way. 

“Let’s go.”


End file.
